What does a head accountant do?

Updated January 8, 2025

8 min read

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Terri Walsh

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Head accountant responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real head accountant resumes:

Manage complex pricing structure and maintain SalesForce CRM funnel for forecasting accuracy.
Handle A/P, A/R, accruals, fix assets, and prepay items.
Analyze, audit and/or prepare monthly financial records for individual schools, monthly payroll liability reconciliations and account analysis.
Complete various questionnaires require by GAAP (e.g.
Complete third party billing for Medicaid and Medicare claims.
Prepare all tax reports and evaluate any discrepancies with company CPA.
Reconcile post labor costs to biweekly payroll paid hours or invoice by IHI's clients.
Prepare and present A/R, A/P, revenue, and expenditure reports, tax-relate documentation as needed.
Supervise the wire room where funding for inter-departmental cash transfers, payroll and check disbursements take place.
Receive excellence awards for establishing and overseeing an in-house continuing education program for the CPA's and CMA's.
Maintain accounting records primarily using QuickBooks.
Supervise Medicare and Medicaid submissions and receipts of weekly payments.
Assist in development of controls and documentation for Sarbanes-Oxley regarding VICAP accounting program.
Review and preparation of financial statements, reconciliations, and financial reporting to management.
Expedite the calculation of inventory capitalization and reduce downtime by taking ownership of the function from field personnel.

Head accountant skills and personality traits

We calculated that 32% of Head Accountants are proficient in Account Management, Client Relationships, and Business Development. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.

We break down the percentage of Head Accountants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Account Management, 32%
Reorganized Account Management to include levels of authority and advancement opportunities resulting in retained talent of highly experienced professionals.
Client Relationships, 10%
Developed and sustained high-level client relationships and served as a trusted consultant to optimize clients through strategy, service and technology.
Business Development, 5%
Partner with IT and system development to unsure constant review and development of our business development soft ware ERP.
National Accounts, 5%
Developed a new business-to-business distribution strategy in an effort to expand revenue and earnings for National Accounts.
General Ledger, 4%
Prepared general ledger reconciliations and analyzed financial statements for CEO.
Financial Reports, 3%
Produced accurate financial reports on company activity to specific deadlines for top management to measure and track performance.

Common skills that a head accountant uses to do their job include "account management," "client relationships," and "business development." You can find details on the most important head accountant responsibilities below.

Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling head accountant duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "accountants and auditors must be able to listen to and discuss facts and concerns from clients, managers, and other stakeholders." According to a head accountant resume, here's how head accountants can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "developed communication strategies and managed client relationships for key accounts, including lays and nestle. "

Detail oriented. This is an important skill for head accountants to perform their duties. For an example of how head accountant responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "accountants and auditors must pay attention to detail when compiling and examining documents." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a head accountant: "maintained complete accounting system including detail job costing and multi-state payroll utilizing in-house computer. ".

Math skills. For certain head accountant responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "math skills." The day-to-day duties of a head accountant rely on this skill, as "accountants and auditors must be able to analyze, compare, and interpret facts and figures." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what head accountants do: "performed other projects such as transfer pricing, volume statistics and fixed assets report for management and auditors. "

Organizational skills. Another common skill required for head accountant responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of head accountants all the time, as "strong organizational skills are important for accountants and auditors, who often work with a range of financial documents for a variety of clients." An excerpt from a real head accountant resume shows how this skill is central to what a head accountant does: "reviewed organizational internal controls and made recommendations for improvement. "

All head accountant skills

The three companies that hire the most head accountants are:

Compare different head accountants

Head accountant vs. Accountant and office manager

An accountant/office manager is responsible for monitoring the organization's accounting records and financial reports, analyzing statistical information, and managing payroll processes. Accountant/office managers must have excellent knowledge of accounting disciplines and principles to perform accounting duties and train accounting staff of the accounting operations, overseeing account receivables, conducting bank reconciliations, and responding to the staff's inquiries and concerns. An accountant/office manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, helping the management develop practical accounting and financial approach, maintaining the stability of the organization's cash management.

We looked at the average head accountant salary and compared it with the wages of an accountant and office manager. Generally speaking, accountant and office managers are paid $68,268 lower than head accountants per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between head accountants and accountant and office managers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like financial analysis, balance sheet, and journal entries.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between head accountants and accountant and office manager. For instance, head accountant responsibilities require skills such as "account management," "client facing," "client relationships," and "r." Whereas a accountant and office manager is skilled in "payroll tax returns," "customer service," "reconciliations," and "general ledger accounts." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Accountant and office managers earn the highest salaries when working in the real estate industry, with an average yearly salary of $59,443. On the other hand, head accountants are paid more in the construction industry with an average salary of $136,207.On average, accountant and office managers reach lower levels of education than head accountants. Accountant and office managers are 6.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Head accountant vs. Account leader

Account leaders are assigned to work on specific client accounts and assist these clients with their needs. They should treat their clients as partners. This would help them forge a better working relationship with clients. Account leaders should have high business acumen and a strong grasp of the current industry landscape. They should be familiar with the company's products and services and which product or service best fits the clients' needs. Account leaders should also know how to retain clients and maintain the client base. They may do this by regularly checking up on clients, making clients feel valued, and mitigating any challenges that may arise.

A career as a account leader brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a head accountant. In fact, account leaders salary is $10,642 lower than the salary of head accountants per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Head accountants and account leaders both require similar skills like "account management," "client facing," and "client relationships" to carry out their responsibilities.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real head accountant resumes. While head accountant responsibilities can utilize skills like "r," "national accounts," "general ledger," and "paye," account leaders use skills like "customer service," "project management," "reconciliations," and "pre sales."

Account leaders may earn a lower salary than head accountants, but account leaders earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $124,638. On the other hand, head accountants receive higher pay in the construction industry, where they earn an average salary of $136,207.account leaders earn similar levels of education than head accountants in general. They're 1.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Learn more about head accountants vs account leaders.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for head accountants in the next 3-5 years?

Terri Walsh

Professor/Program Manager, Accounting, Seminole State College of Florida

I think EXCEL is a must for all business graduates, especially for accounting graduates, but often they have not been exposed to much of it in their degree. Besides, with technology continually changing, a dual major in accounting and information technology will be sought after, so I recommend a bachelor's degree accounting major NOT pursue an MBA, but an information technology degree or programming data. The rise of Big Data and issues surrounding cybersecurity risks will require the accounting profession, and accounting roles, to rely more on students with strong computer skills and logic/analytical thinking. As mentioned before, they will need to master EXCEL, as spreadsheets are widely used in accounting and are the foundation for more advanced software. We are already seeing TABLEAU being used in accounting books, even in the foundational courses which have EXCEL already. There is powerful interrogation software, such as IDEA and ACL, which can pull data from multiple sources; and knowing these tools or their capabilities will be required in the future. Also, strong technological skills need to be communicated once data is retrieved, and this will require persuasive writing and verbal skills.

Head accountant vs. Accountant/consultant

Accountants/consultants perform accounting tasks for organizations or companies. The accountants improve accounting practices and prepare financial statements at the end of every year. They analyze financial data and offer advice on regulatory compliance issues to the finance department. It is their job to make sure that the online system is secure. Most of the day, they organize invoices, prepare statements, and supervising systems. They should be equipped with analytical skills, industry knowledge, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication.

On average, accountant/consultants earn lower salaries than head accountants, with a $55,187 difference per year.By looking over several head accountants and accountant/consultants resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "account management," "client relationships," and "financial reports." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a head accountant is likely to be skilled in "client facing," "r," "facebook," and "business development," while a typical accountant/consultant is skilled in "product knowledge," "strong analytical," "leveraged," and "customer service."

Accountant/consultants earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $68,479. Head accountants earn the highest pay from the construction industry, with an average salary of $136,207.When it comes to education, accountant/consultants tend to earn similar degree levels compared to head accountants. In fact, they're 2.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Head accountant vs. Finance analyst/accountant

In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently. They also conduct research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, evaluate the existing procedures to determine its strengths and weaknesses, and recommend solutions to optimize operations for financial growth. Furthermore, as a finance analyst/accountant, it is essential to uphold the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

Finance analyst/accountants typically earn lower pay than head accountants. On average, finance analyst/accountants earn a $56,510 lower salary per year.While both head accountants and finance analyst/accountants complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like financial reports, financial analysis, and expense reports, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between head accountants and finance analyst/accountants, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a head accountant might have more use for skills like "account management," "client facing," "client relationships," and "r." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of finance analyst/accountants require skills like "reconciliations," "general ledger accounts," "payroll," and "external auditors. "

The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for finance analyst/accountants, with average annual pay of $78,897. Comparatively, the highest head accountant annual salary comes from the construction industry.finance analyst/accountants reach similar levels of education compared to head accountants, in general. The difference is that they're 0.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of head accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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